The Gun (Bar/Restaurant)
27 Cold Harbour, Docklands, London, E14 9NS (Map)
Cuisine: Gastro
Average Price: £30.00
Tel: 0871-474-5692 ?
Email to The Gun
Transport: Canary Wharf
The Gun London Review
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Once a regular haunt of Lord Horatio Nelson, The Gun has been around for eons. Since the 18th Century drinkers have been swilling back brews and noshing on good ‘ol English grub in this Grade II listed pub. It was painstakingly renovated after a fire destroyed much of the interior about 4 years ago and the Time Out Best Gastro Pub 2005/06 award it won would have us believe all the hard work paid off. It is run by Tom and Ed Martin who also manage The White Swan (Fetter Lane) and The Well (Clerkenwell). Chef, Micky O’Connor heads the kitchen while Bridget Croft is general manager. I mention all of this with good reason. With all this expertise in place one would expect to have a grand old time. But even with all this ammunition, for us there was no fire.
Tucked away in the corner of a residential area on the banks of The River Thames, the nostalgic décor of The Gun does possess a certain charm to it. The staff, however, do not. From the moment we arrived and until we retreated to the Portuguese barbeque outside (I will return to this shortly) the service we received was frosty and offhand. Granted the pub was busy when we arrived but there appeared to be plenty staff to accommodate, and even if there wasn’t, a simple acknowledgement of our (and other waiting customers) presence would have helped. As a result the atmosphere was a tad bit chilly.
Putting aside our initial distaste we took in a tour and were surprised at the size of the premises. There are a number of different rooms in which to drink and dine in public or private. There is also a terrace and sun deck – clearly the pub’s main asset. We were informed that on most nights it is busy so it’s recommended to reserve a table for dinner in the dining room. The lunch, brunch, pub and dining room menus all encompass a range of British /European dishes including The Gun fish pie, potted duck, pint o’ prawns and oysters - the fish is selected daily from the local Billingsgate market. The menu is very meat orientated so vegetarians be warned. Also, as expected from an establishment located so close to Canary Wharf prices are fairly pricey. The average for starters is about £6.50+ and mains range from £15-£20.
So returning to the Portuguese barbeque and what a saving grace it was. Outside on the deck wafts of freshly barbecued shellfish and spicy sauce was overwhelmingly seductive and we chose to dine out on the deck while taking in views of the Dome. It was easy to think we were in an entirely different establishment. The staff was friendly, accommodating and helpful. The food was delicious and the atmosphere completely different. We tried the barbecued king prawns and chicken Piri Piri, (a secret recipe from the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique). Accompanied by a huge basket of fries and a crispy, piquant salad and we were truly satisfied.
Now that summer time is just around the corner The Gun, or more specifically the Portuguese barbeque at The Gun is a good choice if you want a venue with outside seating, a decent view and something a little to different to munch on. The pub itself, in our opinion, is not a barrel of laughs and if it’s a decent pub you want with receptive staff and a prize-winning atmosphere…shoot off elsewhere.
Erika Pennington (09 05 2006)
Customer Reviews for The Gun
The following customer reviews are not endorsed by Fluid London and are simply those of users who wish to publish their independent experiences of The Gun.
“We had been to The Gun several times before and found it very good, but our last and final visit to the pub was February 13th 2010. The food was average, the portions derisory and the bill extortionate. The service was okay but not deserving of the 13% service charge added to an already outrageously high bill. The Gun has lost it I'm afraid - it's what happens when you put profit before people and try to pretend to be a Michellin star restaurant with Michellin star prices, but come nowhere close to that standard.”
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Stephen, London (23 days ago)
“Went to The Gun the other day with some family and friends, we nabbed a table on the terrace and enjoyed our long lazy lunch the views over the river were fantastic. I would recommend this place for anyone looking for somewhere to go for drinks and quality food, will definitely be back again.”
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Luca, London (1 years 5 months 22 days ago)
“I went to The Gun the other day with some friends. We were lucky enough to go when the sun was shining and sat out at the Portuguese bbq on the terrace. It was fantastic! The food, the service, the views and the atmosphere, we soaked up the sun with the delicious wafts of the piri piri chicken cooking on the open bbq. A truly summer experience. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I will be back!”
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Lucy, London (1 years 6 months 7 days ago)
“Great place definitely a hidden gem. Good quality British food, great beer selection and a good wine list. As others have said the view from the terrace is pretty impressive. I will be back.”
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Mark, London (1 years 6 months 13 days ago)
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“I love The Gun, fantastic location. Worth the little journey, great views of the river. Delicious food, good selection of beer, brilliant wine list. Beautiful terraces over looking the river.. what more can you ask for?”
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Ruby, London (1 years 7 months 19 days ago)
“Went for dinner with friends last night for my birthday and had a fantastic time! Great food, friendly staff and a wonderful terrace that overlooks the river.. what a find! Can't wait to go back...xx
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Sim, London (1 years 8 months 21 days ago)
“What a great find, this place is full of energy and lively people in a good mood - no stuffyiness here! The food was terrific, good ole English hearty food, but well presented and fresh! Great choice of wines as well.
The trip out there is really worth it.”
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Bob, London (1 years 10 months 17 days ago)
“We visited The Gun for Sunday lunch and we all really enjoyed it. The Gun is a lovely old pub with a great terrace overlooking the river Thames. We sat indoors in the restaurant section which was very beautiful and bright. Food was absolutely delicious!
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Tony, London (1 years 11 months 7 days ago)
“I visited the Gun for dinner recently and have to say - the food and service was excellent!! It was really nice to go to a place where the surroundings were really nice, the interior decoration is lovely and he building is warm and cosy looking, with fantastic views round the back.
I highly recommend The Gun!”
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Daniela, Londn (2 years 14 days ago)
“What a great place! The staff were really friendly, attentive and knowledgable and more importantly, the food was great, great buzzing atmosphere and a lovely fire to roast in front of.
Will definitely be going back!”
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AnnaS, London (2 years 22 days ago)
“What a bloody good place the gun is.
I had the partridge which was excellent & ended up finishing off a good claret, relaxing in an armchair in front of a roaring fire.
Not many places in London you can do that.”
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Charles Berkley, London (2 years 5 months ago)
“Excellent food and service, perfect place for Sunday lunch. We also loved the Bloody Marys!! We will be back soon!”
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Theo Stevens, London (2 years 5 months ago)
“Perfect place to entertain clients, you get the best service and great food without the stuffiness of more formal restaurants. Try their monkfish, it's amazing!”
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Jessica , London (3 years 3 days ago)
“What an amazing pub! Everything from start to finish is perfect: food, service, atmosphere. We will return very soon to the Gun and what incredible views.”
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laura, london (3 years 1 months 11 days ago)
“This pub is amazing. The staff are extremely helpful and friendly and the food is second to none. It has the most beautiful decor and stunning outside areas with incredible views of the Thames. It is now my local!”
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Lindsay, London (3 years 7 months 17 days ago)
“Its a lovely pub on the river with amazing outdoor views, good beer, a great wine list and lovely (but rather pricey)food. The real shame about this place though is how bad the staff are - they slow, not very attentive and often get stuff wrong and don't sem to realise the customer is surely always right!?
I will still go to this pub cause the location and view are just wonderful but my advise to others would be get your drinks quickly and avoid the bar staff the rest of the time!”
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Cat, London (3 years 11 months ago)
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